N.C. State coliseum catches fire after explosion

Posted 7:30PM on Monday 23rd May 2005 ( 19 years ago )

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) A fire that lapped at part of the historic basketball coliseum at North Carolina State University on Monday spared the portion that fans hold most dear. ``We were very fortunate that the arena itself, the part of the building that's historically significant to all of us, is not damaged at all by fire,'' Raleigh Fire Department Division Chief Tommie Styons said minutes after firefighters brought the blaze at Reynolds Coliseum under control. A transformer on the east side of the building exploded about 10:30 a.m. and began shooting out sparks, leading to a fire in the basement. Because the electricity was still on, firefighters had to wait for several minutes before they could attack the fire. Emergency workers evacuated more than 50 people from the coliseum and the adjacent Case Athletic Center, said Sgt. Jon Barnwell of the N.C. State campus police. One firefighter was treated for heat-related injuries. The fire damaged an office and a computer lab used for ROTC classes. Col. Jeff Webb was in his office along with two others when the fire erupted. ``We heard a pop. The electricity went out,'' Webb said. ``Step out in the hallway, saw a lot of sparks coming out from under the doors in the hallway.'' The fire was brought under control about 11:45 a.m., Styons said. Firefighters equipped with air tanks soon went inside the building to survey the damage. The coliseum is undergoing renovations, and Styons said part of the construction involves a new fire alarm system. N.C. State men's basketball coach Herb Sendek was in his office in the Case Center when the fire started and was among those evacuated. ``Obviously, there's a lot of nostalgia and history and a lot of special memories,'' said Sendek, whose N.C. State career began in Reynolds. ``I think right now we just have to wait and see what the damage is.'' Barnwell said emergency personnel evacuated the building by going person-to-person. The fire occurred on the first day of summer school at N.C. State, and it attracted a number of curious students, many of whom stood in front of a parking deck across the street from Reynolds Coliseum. Most of the students were on cell phones to describe what they were seeing. Campus police used patrol cars and yellow tape to block the streets around the coliseum and steer traffic clear of the arena. The coliseum was built in 1949 and named for William Neal Reynolds, the brother of the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company founder. It was not only home to N.C. State men's basketball, but it also hosted the Atlantic Coast Conference men's tournament, NCAA regional basketball games and concerts. N.C. State's 1974 and 1983 teams began their championship drives at Reynolds. The men abandoned the building six years ago and moved to the RBC Center several miles away. They return to the arena for one game a season, and the women's basketball team uses the building for home games. The building also houses offices for gymnastics, volleyball, and women's golf. The basement contained equipment for those sports. (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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